The Master's Lover
by SummerMess
Summary: Sequel to The Master. RL/SB
1. Too Many Questions

_Disclaimer: Sirius and Remus belong to JK Rowling. Just borrowing them. :)_

_A/N – Thank you so much for the positive reviews for The Master! __Thank you to my beta, empath89, as well - for going over this and assuring me it's worth posting._

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_**The Master's Lover, Part 1** – __There Were Too Many Questions_

Remus shivered as he reached the end of the hallway.

The castle felt decidedly colder without the presence of the Master occupying its spacious corridors.

He wondered, not for the first time, when the Beast would return. Even with the servants present, it was terribly lonely.

He stared thoughtfully at the door to his bedroom.

_How many more nights would he sleep alone?_

The ache in his chest tightened painfully and he screwed his eyes shut at the familiar feeling.

In the sweet moments following the first – and only – time he and the dark-haired Master had made love, an urgent knock had interrupted their embrace and a mysterious message had pulled his lover from the warm bed.

Remus had watched with concern and longing as the handsome man he had held moments before hastily pulled on clothing and avoided his eyes with determination.

"What is it?" he had asked, extraordinarily nervous at the man's reaction to the contents of the letter.

"There is someone who wishes to speak to me," the dark-haired man had murmured. "I can't...I have to go."

Before Remus could ask where he was going or to whom he would be speaking, the man had fled the room without once glancing back at him.

Shaking his head to clear it of the memory, Remus opened his eyes and pushed the door to his bedroom open.

It felt only marginally better sleeping here than at the inn he had stayed at after fleeing the castle all those weeks ago.

The room, though beautifully furnished, was too _still_ and _quiet_ and Remus wished he had a reason to return to the master bedroom. He imagined it would ease the longing he felt for the Beast.

With another shake of his head, Remus sat down heavily on his own cold bed. He was becoming entirely too romantic.

It had been nearly three weeks since he'd watched the man ride away from the castle on horseback.

_Who did the Beast need to speak to so urgently?_

With a sharp pang of anguish, Remus remembered the way the gray eyes had avoided his gaze from the moment the man finished reading the letter. The lips that had kissed him so passionately only moments before had not seen fit to reassure him with a final kiss before leaving.

Although the familiar pull Remus had felt towards the Beast returned within hours of their separation, he also felt a new and strange sense of disconcertion come over him.

He could not shake thoughts of the woman he'd met in the village.

_How come the servants and the Beast had not been concerned by his warning of her? Why would she threaten the Beast's life if she hadn't truly meant to harm him?_

Then, with an uneasy feeling in his stomach, he wondered if it had all been a ploy to get him to return to the castle.

_But what purpose would that serve?_

Remus stretched out on his bed.

There were too many questions and every time he went over the events following his return to the castle, he could not help recalling all of the sweet words and touches he had received from the Beast.

_Even though Lumiere had said that the Master had been waiting for him for a long time, Remus did not believe that the Beast would try to manipulate him into returning. Besides, the pull he had felt to return could not have been fabricated._

Nevertheless, the longer Remus spent on his own, the more he began to lament his position.

_Was this who he was now – the Master's lover? Would he live out the rest of his life completely dependent upon the Beast's kindness as well as his fortune?_

Remus had already lost count of the number of times he wished the Beast would return and make him forget all of these questions. They had not mattered to him before.

He wanted to do something more with his life – something _useful_ – but he knew, without a doubt, that if he had to choose between personal ventures and love, he would choose to stay with the Beast.

Remus rested a hand against his chest where the ache had settled and turned to stare up at the high ceiling.

"_Come back," _he breathed.

_Before I drive myself mad._

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* * *

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"She is out there again, Lumiere."

The servant's head snapped up and he frowned across the room at the maid. He did not need to be told who _she_ was.

For the first time since he had begun to serve in the castle, Lumiere was not sure how best to solve a problem.

The Master had ordered him to keep Remus safe inside the castle until he returned but he had not instructed him on how to deal with such a persistent – and undoubtedly dangerous – visitor.

The pale, cold-eyed woman who had come to the castle requesting an audience with Remus on the night of the Master's departure had become increasingly relentless in her desire to enter the castle. Despite Lumiere's firm refusal to allow her inside without the Master present, she spent hours lurking around the grounds looking for a way in.

Although he was not sure what the woman wanted, every time he saw her cruel, cunning eyes in the moonlight, he silently prayed for the Master's return.

"Should we warn Remus?" the maid asked worriedly. "He is such a dear boy...if she did get into the castle he might not realize that she is one of _them._ He might listen to her...and try to help her...oh, Lumiere! She might talk him into leaving with her and then what will the Master do? He has waited all this time. _We've_ waited all this time."

He raised his hand to stop her from uttering anything further.

"Speculation like that will only frighten the staff," he replied firmly. "We must just hope for the Master's swift return so that he may deal with her as he sees fit."

"But it has already been three _weeks_, Lumiere. Last time he was back within three _days_!And that woman has been coming more and more often. We can only keep her out of the castle for so long..."

Lumiere sighed heavily.

"The Master has been gone for longer than three weeks at a time," he reminded her, "and the wards will keep this woman out until he returns. Until then, we must just be vigilant and ensure that none of the staff allows her entry into the castle."

"And Remus?" the maid asked.

He shook his head.

"We cannot say anything...we _must _not say anything," he told her firmly. "The Master wants him kept safe."

"But if–"

"_No_," he repeated.

He watched the maid bite her lip in worry but she left without another word.

Lumiere stood in silence in the darkened room. The sound of rain pelting sharply against the glass echoed loudly in the small space.

The Master was running out of time.

_And rain,_ Lumiere could not help but think, _is not the weather of happy endings._

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* * *

_Remus fidgeted uncontrollably in his chair.

His heart had not slowed since he'd overheard one of the servants earlier that day. The Master had sent word that he would be returning that evening.

The Beast had been gone for over a month and as much as Remus would have liked to feign indifference and force the Master to seek _him_ out upon his return, he could only think of the relief he was sure to feel at the sight of him.

Several weeks before, Lumiere had assured him that the Master had had good reason to leave.

"He would not have gone away so soon after your return," the servant had told him. "Not if it wasn't imperative."

A dozen more questions had arisen at the man's statement but all of them had retreated to the back of Remus' mind at the prospect of seeing the Master again.

_Would everything be the same? Could they pick up where they'd left off?_

Shivering at the thought, he turned to stare at the clock across the room.

It was already after eleven but he knew the Beast would be returning any moment. A few hours earlier, he had felt the pull – which had once again become almost unbearable – begin to lessen slightly.

Leaning back in the chair, Remus closed his eyes and let out a sigh.

He just _had_ to be close.

Just as the thought sprung up in his mind, there was a sharp knock on his bedroom door.

Remus' eyes flew open and he bounded across the room, wrenching the door open without hesitation.

His heart skipped a beat in disappointed surprise.

The maid stood at the entrance to his room, a sympathetic frown on her round face.

"Remus," she greeted softly. "Are you well?"

Remus hoped his disappointment hadn't shown on his face. He had been so sure...

"Yes, thank you," he said politely. "I'm just...waiting."

"Yes. Of course."

Remus felt his heart rate quicken again as another disappointing thought occurred to him.

"Is he not returning tonight? Is there something wrong?"

The maid hesitated.

"No, nothing is wrong, Remus," she said carefully. "The Master has arrived."

Remus' heart sped up.

He was trying to decipher the reason behind the woman's concerned expression but found his head was already filled with too many questions.

"Remus," she began quietly, her eyes scanning the hall behind her anxiously. "Perhaps it would be best if you spoke to the Master in the morning. It is... very late. I could tell him you've already retired..."

"No!" he said quickly. "I won't keep him up long. I just want to speak to him...to see that he's really back."

The woman stared at him for a long time, studying his face with concern, before finally giving him a reluctant nod and slipping quietly from his room.

Crossing to the window, Remus stared down into the darkening courtyard at the front of the castle.

From high up in his room, he could see the Master's proud, dark horse being led through the rain to the stables by one of the younger servants.

Before he could rush from his room to greet the Beast, his eyes caught a flash of white and he saw another proud looking steed being led behind the first.

He felt his heart jolt in surprise.

The Master may have finally returned home.

But he was not alone.

* * *

The servant knew that, had he not learned to trust his master all those years ago, his voice – and his hands – would have shaken at the sight that met him as he opened the grand castle door.

"Welcome home, Master," he said evenly.

"Forgive me, Lumiere," the Master rumbled from beneath the hood of his cloak. "I should have warned you I'd be bringing company."

Although the Master wore a cloak, his face was clearly visible from where Lumiere stood.

There was not a single patch of fur on the handsome, youthful face.

_Had the curse been broken?_

Instead of looking elated, as the servant would have expected, the Master's face looked pale and tense. As the gray eyes bored into his own, he noted the warning in them with growing concern.

"Shall I prepare a room for the lady?" he inquired.

"Yes," the Master replied quickly. "It was a long journey...I am sure my guest is quite fatigued by now."

Lumiere turned to nod at the Master's guest in polite confirmation but the woman's dark eyes, wide and alert, were fixed on the staircase leading up into the depths of the castle.

"No," she said. Her voice was low and harsh and the servant suppressed a shudder at the sound of it.

Lowering his hood, the Master's jaw clenched tightly as he followed her gaze.

"I believe it is youwho is _fatigued_, Sirius," she continued softly. "Perhaps _you_ should retire for the evening..."

The Master's back stiffened at her words, making his significant height even more noticeable.

"Not yet," he replied tersely.

Glancing at him, the corners of the woman's mouth turned up slightly in a small, sinister smile.

"Then I think it is about time you introduced me to your other guest."


	2. Feels Like A Dream

A/N- Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed the first chapter - I really appreciate the comments and encouragement to continue!

_**A thank you goes out again to my beta, empath89, for editing!**_

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**Part 2 – It Feels Like a Dream**

The gray eyes, now darker and more furious than Lumiere had ever seen them, stared unblinkingly across the fire-lit room. The dark-haired man sat rigid in his seat by the window – looking as if he half-expected the woman seated by the fire to strike out at him at any moment.

Not a word had been spoken since the woman had followed the Master to his study to wait for Remus.

Under the pretence of serving wine, the servant glanced up at the woman's stoic face and wondered – once more – what had happened on the Master's trip away. Though her face betrayed nothing of what she was feeling or thinking, the servant could sense her anticipation for _something_.

"Where is he, Lumiere?" The Master spoke quietly, his eyes still fixed on the fire.

Despite his attempt to sound detached – and even a little irritated – Lumiere recognized the concern beneath the steely tone.

"He has probably been told you brought company, Master. Perhaps he wished to change into something more formal."

The Master did not respond and Lumiere had the urge to place a hand on the man's broad shoulder.

"I'm sure it will not be much longer, Master," he said quietly.

As it always had, it pained him to see the young man in distress.

_How much longer would he have to pay for his parents' sins?_

"Now, now, Sirius. No need to get testy." The woman's voice once more startled Lumiere with its coldness. "I can hear him coming now."

Lumiere immediately stepped across the room to open the study door – catching the way the Master stiffened further in his seat as he passed by.

He opened the door and glanced down the hall to find Remus, wide-eyed and undoubtedly confused, making his way towards him.

Lumiere considered trying to communicate to him, to warn him, through a look or expression – but he did not know what to say... and he wasn't sure what it was that he needed to warn him about.

Instead, with a slight bow, he gestured for the young man to make his way inside the dimly-lit room.

Remus stepped inside slowly, tentatively, his eyes scanning the room until they found the outline of the dark figure he sought.

He did not noticeably react, as the servant thought he might, to the sight of the dark-haired man in place of where a beast should have been.

Remus stared at the man for a long moment – an intense and longing gaze which the Master did not return – before taking in a steady, deep breath.

"Welcome home," he said softly.

He then turned his golden gaze to the woman by the fire. Tall, elegant and proud; she looked – right then – as if _she_ were the owner of the castle.

Remus bowed politely.

"Good evening," he said to her.

Unlike the Master, the woman's dark eyes had been drinking in the sight of Remus' face since he entered the room.

The servant sensed that she was searching for something but whatever it was, she had yet to find it.

"Good evening, Remus."

Much to the surprise of the servant, the woman had returned the greeting with equal courteousness and immediately indicated he should take the seat across from her.

As Remus settled in the chair and began to politely converse with the woman, Lumiere turned his eyes to the Master and waited for him to speak, to turn his eyes towards Remus as he always did when the young man was in the room.

But the gray eyes did not once stray from the burning embers.

For the rest of the night, the sole thought in Lumiere's mind was that it must have taken the prospect of something truly terrible to keep the Master from looking at the one person he had ever loved.

He did not think he wanted to know what that terrible something was.

* * *

Remus felt strangely detached from the whole scene.

The warmth from the fire had seeped through his clothing but he still felt cold. The woman had asked him questions about his family and his interests before settling into silence. He could feel her eyes on him but he felt neither frightened of nor intimidated by her.

The dark-haired man across the room had not acknowledged him once and Remus felt so confused by the events of the whole evening that he finally reached the conclusion that it must all just be a dream.

_How else could the Master be sitting across the room from him, not as a beast, but as a man?_

For another quarter of an hour, the four occupants sat in silence. It was such a bizarre encounterthat Remus began to ponder how he might wake himself from this confusing scene when he noticed the woman rise from her seat.

He stood as well and watched as Lumiere stepped forward out of the corner to, Remus supposed, show the woman to her room.

The woman, though, did not take a step towards the open door. She still watched Remus, a smile threatening to pull the corners of her lips up.

"So handsome," she murmured.

The woman raised a black-gloved hand and reached out to trace her fingers over Remus' face.

_A dream_, Remus thought again. _It's just a dream._

Her light touch started to tickle as it made a trail past his chin and down the front of his neck.

"Remus," she whispered, her eyes watching the movement of her own fingers, "Lupin."

Her fingers hovered over his collarbone as she said his name once more.

It did not seem like she was waiting for a response but rather repeating it in order to get used to how it sounded falling from her lips.

Out of the corner of his eye, Remus thought he saw the Master make a sudden, sharp movement but the man did not say or do anything and when Remus glanced over at him, the gray eyes were staring out of the window.

In the span of a few seconds, the woman's touch was gone and Remus turned to watch her follow Lumiere silently out of the room.

He shook his head in confusion. No part of this dream made sense to him.

Still standing by the fire, he raised his eyes to look at the seated figure across the room once more.

The man's gaze was now fixed intently on the dying flames of the fire.

He was determinedly avoiding looking at Remus – just as he had done all those weeks ago.

_It's all a dream_, Remus thought again. _This is how I last saw him; how I remember him behaving before he left._

He sat back down dazedly and continued to look at the man's handsome face.

_If it was only a dream, would it really matter if he stared at him a little longer?_

Remus tilted his head slightly as he studied the man. His features were more striking than any Remus had ever seen.

He noted the straight, black hair – tied back neatly.

The firm lips – drawn into a tight, determined line.

The strong jaw – clenched shut.

Remus' eyes roved over the unshaven skin on the man's face.

Coarse hair covering smooth skin.

_What would it feel like under his tongue?_

Biting his lip, Remus' eyes followed the path down the man's neck to look at the strong, robe-covered, body.

He remembered what it felt like lying beneath that body.

He shivered.

Remus continued to stare – the man never once returning his gaze – until he heard the study door click open.

The servant entered, glancing thoughtfully between the two of them.

_He looks surprised_, Remus thought.

And he understood why: they were more or less exactly as he had left them.

_How long had they been sitting there?_

"The lady has retired to her room, Master," the servant said quietly.

The gray eyes blinked but did not turn to look at the servant.

"And your room is ready, as always, when you wish to retire."

The Master nodded.

"Thank you." The man's lips hardly moved as he spoke the words.

The servant nodded and cast a final concerned look at the dark-haired man before leaving the room once more.

Immediately, Remus tried to resume his study of the man but the spell of the moment had been broken and it suddenly felt painful to watch the man who would not even look at him.

"It's not real, is it?" he breathed.

He saw the man tense and knew that he had heard his words.

"No, it's not," Remus continued, answering his own question. "It can't be."

Strangely reassured by his own words, Remus stood silently and crossed the room until he stood before the seated figure.

The fire had almost completely burned out and soon they would both be bathed in darkness.

_Did that mean he was about to wake up?_

For some, unexplainable reason, the thought worried Remus and he felt the desperate urge to cling to the dream for as long as he could.

Unsure of what exactly he wanted to do before he awoke, Remus knelt on the hard floor and stared up at the face shrouded in darkness.

He knew his gaze was not being returned.

"I miss you," he whispered.

The man did not move.

"I'm glad this is a dream though," he admitted. "It would be strange to think the Beast wasn't part of you."

The figure stiffened and Remus eyes were instantly drawn to the movement of one of the large hands as it clutched the arm of the chair.

Without hesitation, Remus reached out to cover it with his own.

He was startled to find that the skin was warm and rough and it felt _very_ real.

"It feels like you're really here," he said aloud.

_It's only a dream._

Remus sighed and closed his eyes, leaning forward to rest his head against the man's leg.

"I miss you," he said again.

He glanced up from where his head lay against the strong thigh. He could tell from the man's silhouette that he was gazing out of the window again.

"I wish you would look at me."

Still, the man did not move or speak.

Remus found that the silence merely reinforced to him the fact that this was all just a dream.

He lifted his head and squinted up at the dark-haired man. He could just make out the line of the man's neck.

Remus just knew he would wake up any moment from this dream.

With one hand still resting atop Sirius', he surged forward and kissed the smooth skin boldly.

He could feel the sharp stubble on the underside of the man's chin rub against his nose as he kissed and sucked at the same spot on his neck over and over.

At the first touch of lips to skin, the man had jumped slightly in surprise but he did nothing else to discourage – or _en_courage – Remus in the slightest.

Still kissing his neck, Remus raised his free hand to rest it against the hard chest. He could feel the muscles tense underneath the robes.

He brought his hand down over the muscles in the man's stomach and let out a shaky sigh as he did so.

"Do you- ," Remus started, his voice husky.

This felt _too_ good.

"Do you _ache_ when we're apart?" he asked quietly.

Almost before he had even finished the question, he was pulled to his feet and lifted through the air.

It took him several moments to realize that the man had picked him up and slung him over his shoulder.

He felt his heart rate pick up.

He only vaguely noted the sound of the man's footsteps in the hallway as he carried Remus swiftly through the darkened castle.

In hardly any time at all he heard a door being pushed open – his door, he quickly realized – before he was deposited carefully onto his soft bed.

He'd hardly had a moment's time to imagine what might happen next before the man fled from the room, shutting the door tightly behind him.

His pulse was still racing long after.

And, somehow, it no longer felt like a dream.


	3. What Might Have Happened

**A/N: Thank you to my beta Empath89 for looking over this for me :)**

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**The Master's Lover, Part 3**** – What Might Have Happened**

The blood was pumping through him at an alarmingly fast rate.

Slamming the door shut behind him, the dark-haired man stood for several minutes in the center of the room – his breathing coming in sharp, heavy bursts.

He had the control of a saint.

With a low growl, the man stalked to his bathroom and threw open the door. The large tub was filled with steaming water.

Giving silent thanks to his servants' perceptiveness, the man began tugging off his clothing and throwing it carelessly to the floor.

He needed to calm down.

Running a hand roughly through his hair, he turned to view his reflection in the bathroom window.

He was sweating…his chest and shoulders gleamed with the little drops of surprisingly, the tension in his muscles was making his body look rigid and defensive. His gray eyes looked furious. Wild. _Hungry_.

The image of Remus' eyes flashed through his mind unbidden.

They had stared so intently at him – vulnerability and desire clearly present within their depths.

"_Do you _ache_ when we're apart?"_

The memory of the words, spoken so earnestly, caused the man's already taut muscles to stiffen further.

His eyes traveled down past his stomach and hips to glare accusingly at the evidence of his own desire for the other man.

He closed his eyes tightly and turned away from his reflection in disgust.

If only the witch had not found out about Remus.

If only the debt could be repaid in some other way.

If only…

He shivered before finishing the thought.

It did not matter now.

The hot water beckoned.

The dark-haired man stepped into the bath carefully – sliding down into the water without a sound. As he leaned his head back against the edge of the tub, he could feel his muscles tense further and he knew that he would not be able to relax.

He closed his eyes again.

With strong hands gripping the sides of the bathtub, the man waited for his own desire, the _ache_, to disappear.

Upon his return to the castle, he had seen the warmth in those golden eyes. Had he not been so wary of the woman who had acted as his companion – so completely determined to keep Remus from her clutches – he would have let the other boy glimpse his own relief at their reunion.

He would have let Remus see the desperate need that had fuelled him on his arduous journey home.

Instead, he had forced himself to remain impassive.

"_I wish you would look at me."_

The sound of those softly spoken words had made his jaw clench. He did not know how much longer he would be able to resist Remus. More importantly though, he did not know how much longer he would be able to keep Remus safe.

It was a long time before he noticed that all the warmth had left the water.

* * *

His whole body ached.

The splash of cold water against his flushed face did little to soothe his headache.

Remus groaned softly as his head fell to rest against the edge of the sink.

He felt as if he'd had an entire bottle of wine the previous evening instead of just a single glass…then just to ensure that he would have this groggy, drunk feeling, he had followed it with another six bottles.

The morning sunshine bursting through the window made him cringe as he blinked at his reflection in the mirror. His skin was paler than usual; his eyes only partially open.

He felt weak. Exhausted. Disoriented.

_What was happening to him?_

With a groan, Remus stumbled back to his bed and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

When he next awoke, a cold cloth was being pressed tightly to his forehead. Remus could hear voices around him but his eyelids were too heavy to lift.

"This is what happened last time. Don't you remember?"

"Of course I remember," another voice snapped. "But surely you don't really think it's going to happen again?"

"Oh, just wait until the Master finds out…"

"_Quiet_!" Remus recognized Lumiere's voice instantly. "The boy needs to rest. All of you – out. _Now_."

Remus heard the sound of the other servants quickly shuffling towards the door.

"And not a word to the Master." Lumiere's tone brooked no argument.

After they had gone, Remus heard the older man release a weary sigh.

It was becoming more and more difficult for him to concentrate. The odd feeling of disorientation had lessened only slightly and Remus felt a strange combination of emotions churn within him.

One moment he felt wild and restless and the next he felt calm and at ease. All sorts of familiar and unfamiliar sensations tangled together then separated. Both his body and his mind became more exhausted with each new arrangement.

Eyes still closed, he began to tremble beneath the covers of his bed.

He wished Sirius was there.

The servant's hand fell to rest on his shoulder and tightened for a moment in worry.

"Oh, Remus," the man said sadly. "Forgive me."

Remus barely registered the sound of the servant leaving before he succumbed to sleep once more.

* * *

When he came to for the final time that day, the first thing Remus noticed was that his head no longer ached.

He, in fact, felt more energized than he had in weeks.

The wide array of emotions he experienced earlier had vanished and he now only felt a sense of restlessness.

His mind – suddenly focused and alert – turned quickly to the only occupant in the house whose company he desired.

_Sirius._

His pulse quickened at the thought.

He remembered kneeling before the other man the previous evening. He had rested his head against the strong legs and kissed the unshaven skin in an attempt to convince Sirius to pick up where they had left off all those weeks ago. Yet, his boldness had only come when he'd convinced himself that it was all just a dream.

It was different now.

Remus felt fully awake this time and he was decidedly aware of his own desires. He knew that had he been back in the room with Sirius right then, he would not be kneeling or entreating the other man to respond to him – to _look_ at him. Instead, he was quite sure that he would find a way to provoke a response from the other man through different means.

The mental images of the various ways he might do just that made a rush of adrenaline course through him.

This feeling of command over himself – over his fear – was heady. He did not feel shy or tentative as he so often had in the previous weeks.

He felt powerful.

Remus slipped from the bed and crossed the room to the dressing table in a few quick strides.

What he saw in the mirror might have startled him had he felt more himself.

He looked taller somehow – though he knew Sirius would still have the advantage over him. His body, too, looked different though – stronger…broader.

His eyes had changed as well – perhaps more than anything else. Even in the dimly lit room, they looked feral and alive.

Remus continued to study his reflection with mild interest. He turned his head side to side and flexed his hands a few times – as if discovering how to use his body for the first time.

Yes. He was wide awake now.

Turning away from the mirror, Remus' eyes scanned his surroundings impatiently. The room was lit by strange colors – no doubt an effect of the burning fire and the cold moonlight. He glanced at the warm bed that awaited him but nearly laughed at the thought of trying to sleep.

In that moment, he very nearly burned with the desire to _do _something – anything to relieve himself of some of this excess energy. He stood still until he could not take it any longer.

Donning a heavy cloak, Remus fled the room without a backward glance.

* * *

The air was frosty.

The raven-haired man suppressed a shiver as he navigated the mare through the darkened woods.

He was still not convinced that what he had seen had been more than just an illusion. Surely, the hooded figure leaving the castle could not have been Remus.

_W__hy then had be felt the urge to follow?_

He sighed in frustration. Of course it had been Remus.

Sirius had been watching from his window as the figure dashed across the grounds and disappeared into the stables.

Without hesitation, he had grabbed his own cloak and raced from the castle.

He was out in the cold within seconds but when he'd finally reached the stables, it was to find that they were devoid of any human presence.

All but one of the stalls had been empty.

He saddled the nearest horse – somehow managing not to frighten it in the process – and allowed the pull to direct him into the forest.

He could think of no reason for Remus to leave the castle so late at night. Perhaps he felt confused or afraid about the situation they now found themselves in. Sirius would not blame him if he did…but that did not mean that he would allow him to ride out on his own.

It was not safe.

Besides, even if there was no danger, he was not sure he would have been able to fight the urge to chase after Remus…to bring him back to the castle.

He shook his head to clear it. The pull to find Remus was becoming stronger.

It was several more minutes before he saw movement in the distance.

His keen eyes narrowed in an attempt to see more clearly between the trees.

_There._

It was Remus – he was sure of it.

Tightening his hold on the reins, Sirius set the horse to a gallop and raced in the direction of the figure.

"Remus!" he shouted. His deep voice resonated in the space between them but Remus did not turn back.

At his command, Sirius' horse thundered ahead. As it weaved between trees and jumped over obstacles, Sirius would lose sight of Remus for a few brief seconds before rounding a corner and finding him again. He felt startled at every new glimpse he caught of the cloaked figure between the trees. Sirius felt the adrenaline course through him when he finally neared the other man.

He was so close…

With a low growl, he surged forward until they were galloping side by side. Golden eyes snapped to his.

Sirius caught his breath at the sight.

Remus looked so different.

He felt his stomach clench but he did not have much time to ponder the changes.

The golden eyes blazed as Remus stared back at him. After a moment, the other man raised an eyebrow in challenge and turned sharply between two trees. Remus took off in a new direction and quickly gained the lead.

Sirius turned at the next opening to chase after him. They raced and raced until Sirius nearly lost sight of the other man again. His horse was still galloping at full speed when he came to a small clearing in the center of the woods.

The horse reared back and came to an abrupt halt.

The other boy's horse stood without a rider.

Glancing around with concern, Sirius quickly leapt from his own horse, his powerful form landing gracefully on the ground without a sound.

His gray eyes searched the clearing but he saw no sign of the other man.

He had only a moment to catch his breath and wonder at Remus' disappearance before he was shoved up against the nearest tree.

Smooth lips crashed against his own and, in mere seconds, he felt the full force of his suppressed desire swelling within him.

He was unable to prevent himself from responding to the fervent kisses.

"Remus," he breathed heavily against the other's lips.

The man tugged at his cloak in response and Sirius did not hesitate to reciprocate in kind. Their hands sought each other's smooth skin and, within moments, they had succeeded in tugging the shirt from one another's body. Skin bared from the hips up, Remus pulled back for a moment to stare into his eyes.

The golden orbs were alight with defiance and mischief.

Trying not to wonder at the change in Remus – and what it might mean – Sirius surged forward and buried his nose in the warm neck.

_How he had missed this._

After a moment his mouth began kissing and licking at the bared neck and shoulder in desperation.

_How long he had wanted to do this again..._

There was relief in the action – it had been too long since he'd tasted the other man – but there was something sobering about it as well.

He knew it was too dangerous for them to be out there alone. What if they were seen?

He pulled back abruptly.

"Remus," he whispered hoarsely. "We have to go back. It isn't safe here."

The golden eyes blazed.

"I'm not afraid." Remus' voice was husky with desire.

Sirius had to fight his body's instinctive response to that tone.

"It is not safe," he repeated.

The two men stared at one another in silence. They both looked equally stubborn and resolute.

Finally, a secretive smile tugged at Remus' lips and he nodded in acquiescence – stepping away to mount his horse once more.

"If you say so."

Sirius swallowed hard at that response and turned to retrace his steps back to the mare.

As the two steered the animals back to the castle, he could feel Remus' hungry gaze resting on his face. There was something familiar about the spark that had flashed in the man's eyes earlier but he would not allow himself to think about what that meant.

They did not speak for the rest of the way back.

Instead, they rode in silence – both of their minds filled with similar thoughts of what might have happened if they had stayed in the woods.


End file.
